Kaiser rallies to beat a young Pearl City team

The good news for the Pearl City Chargers is plentiful.

Beating previously unbeaten Mililani, the leader in the OIA West, on Tuesday was the highlight of the Chargers’ week. Leave it to No. 5 Kaiser, however, to bring Pearl City back down to earth.

Kaiser rallied with an eight-run fifth inning en route to a 10-3 win over No. 10 Pearl City on a cloudy, muggy and rainless Saturday afternoon at the Chargers’ field.

Kaiser improved to 9-1 in league play (16-4 overall). The Cougars are a perfect 6-0 in away games. This matchup between East and West teams is a new twist in the OIA Division I regular-season schedule. Kaiser got a bit of playoff-flavor competition after falling behind 3-0 against the young, dangerous Chargers.

“We’re getting to the playoffs, keeping everybody loose, just make the simple plays,” Kaiser assistant coach Brandon Perreira said.

Kaiser is scheduled to host Aiea on Tuesday. It was an intriguing matchup for Kaiser, facing a junior- and sophomore-heavy Pearl City team that resembles Kaiser’s promising young team of the past two seasons. The difference, in one way, was sheer physical strength. Velocity off the bat.

“This group, they really focus on their weights. Almost all the starters are in there at 5, 6 in the morning,” Cougars head coach Josh Halemanu said. “It’s showing up. They’re physical and hitting drives off their bat.”

The Cougars hit the ball squarely at times against Pearl City sophomore starter Talon Pa‘ahao, but his defense came up big. The right-hander went three scoreless innings, permitting one hit with two strikeouts and one hit batter. A spectacular diving catch by center fielder Kevin Ujimori ended the top of the third inning.

The second and fourth innings were forgettable for a normally stellar Kaiser infield. Pearl City’s Jeiden Yamamura reached base on a throwing error by second baseman Mana Shigehara-Pang. Tytan Takahashi singled and Pa‘ahao loaded the bases with a bunt single. After Cohen Adaro flew out, Ujimori’s grounder to Shigehara-Pang turned into an overthrow of shortstop Noah Sham at second base. That allowed Yamamura and Takahashi to score for a 2-0 Chargers lead.

Kaiser starting pitcher Caleb Hamasaki fanned Noah Kawakami on a called third strike that Chargers coach Duane Eldredge questioned from the third-base coach’s box. Hamasaki then walked Jodi Takara to reload the bases, prompting a visit to the mound by Halemanu.

That seemed to do the trick. Hamasaki went to his fastball and retired Ian Wicklund on a fly ball to end the inning.

“Caleb settled in. He’s one of our main guys and he settled in,” Perreira said.

In the fourth inning, Adaro drew a one-out walk, and after Ujimori was ruled out for interference, Adaro stole second base. Kawakami reached base on a bunt single, advancing Adaro to third base. With Takara batting, Kawakami started a delayed steal, stopping in the basepath between first and second bases. Catcher Hayzen Inouye’s errant throw allowed Adaro to score easily from third base for a 3-0 Pearl City lead.

Kahiau Hugo took the mound for Kaiser the rest of the way, limiting Pearl City to no runs on one hit. He struck out two and walked none, and became the pitcher of record as the Cougars scored eight runs in the top of the fifth, benefiting from three Pearl City errors and a passed ball.

HAWAII BASEBALL REPORT

Statistics of players with Hawaii ties in professional baseball through Friday’s games. Players who are on the injured or suspended list and whose stats have not changed since last week are not listed.:

HAWAII BASEBALL REPORT

MAJOR LEAGUE

Player (Hawaii connection)

Team, League

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

AVG.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa (Mid-Pacific)

Boston, American

11

2

1

0

0

0

0

.091

Pitcher (Hawaii connection)

Team, League

G

IP

H

ER

BB

K

W-L

ERA

Rico Garcia (Saint Louis/HPU)

Baltimore, American

6

5 ⅔

0

0

3

7

1-0

0.00

Joey Cantillo (Kailua)

Cleveland, American

3

14 ⅔

11

4

7

20

1-0

2.45

Cade Smith (Hawaii)

Cleveland, American

7

7

7

5

3

10

2-0

6.43

CLASS AAA

Player (Hawaii connection)

Team (franchise)

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

AVG.

Josh Rojas (UH)

Omaha (Royals)

39

5

11

5

0

1

9

.282

CLASS AA

Player (Hawaii connection)

Team (franchise)

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

AVG.

Shane Sasaki (‘Iolani)

Chattanooga (Reds)

22

4

7

1

1

0

3

.318

Wyatt Young (Mid-Pacific)

Binghamton (Mets)

15

3

4

2

0

1

7

.267

Adam Fogel (UH)

Missoula, Pioneer

17

0

4

1

0

0

1

.235

Maui Ahuna (Hilo)

Richmond (Giants)

26

6

5

1

0

0

2

.192

Caleb Lomavita (Saint Louis)

Harrisburg (Nationals)

20

1

3

0

0

1

3

.150

Kala‘i Rosario (Waiakea)

Wichita (Twins)

27

1

2

0

0

0

0

.074

Pitcher (Hawaii connection)

Team (franchise)

G

IP

H

ER

BB

K

W-L

ERA

Harry Gustin (UH)

San Antonio (Padres)

2

4

3

1

0

3

0-0

2.25

Blaze Pontes (Kamehameha/UH)

Midland (A’s)

2

3

4

2

0

1

1-0

6.00

HIGH CLASS A

Player (Hawaii connection)

Team (franchise)

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

AVG.

Kodey Shojinaga (Mid-Pacific)

Jersey Shore (Phillies)

12

2

4

1

1

0

2

.333

Casey Yamauchi (Waiakea/UH Hilo)

Lansing (A’s)

12

4

4

1

0

2

6

.333

Devin Saltiban (Hilo)

Jersey Shore (Phillies)

29

7

8

1

2

0

4

.276

Wehiwa Aloy (Baldwin)

Frederick (Orioles)

14

2

3

0

1

0

3

.214

Jacob Hinderleider (‘Iolani)

Spokane (Rockies)

9

1

0

0

0

0

0

.000

Pitcher (Hawaii connection)

Team (franchise)

G

IP

H

ER

BB

K

W-L

ERA

Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa (Baldwin)

Hub City (Rangers)

2

3 ⅓

0

0

0

3

0-0

0.00

Cory Ronan (Hawaii)

Quad Cities (Royals)

1

2

0

0

0

2

1-0

0.00

Kelena Sauer (Kamehameha)

Vancouver (Blue Jays)

2

2

3

2

2

4

0-2

9.00

CLASS A

Pitcher (Hawaii connection)

Team (franchise)

G

IP

H

ER

BB

K

W-L

ERA

Itsuki Takemoto (Hawaii)

Stockton (Athletics)

2

1 ⅓

3

5

3

3

0-0

33.75

NOTES

Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Rico Garcia (Saint Louis/HPU) earned his first major league save on Wednesday with a scoreless ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox.

Binghamton Rumble Ponies second baseman Wyatt Young (Mid-Pacific) hit his first grand slam as a pro on Wednesday in the first game of a doubleheader sweep of the Somerset Patriots. Batting ninth, Young went 2-for-3 and added an RBI double and a bases-loaded walk, driving in most of the Ponies’ runs in the 11-3 win.

After signing out of the partner league ranks with the Chicago White Sox this offseason, outfielder Adam Fogel (Hawaii) was assigned to the Double-A Birmingham Barons.

Lansing Lugnuts shortstop Casey Yamauchi (Waiakea/UH Hilo) had a huge game Wednesday, going 3-for-5 with two home runs, a double and a walk. He scored three runs and drove in six in the 15-1 victory over the Fort Wayne TinCaps.

———

Compiled by Sjarif Goldstein, Star-Advertiser

Hawaii Prep World

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